This invention relates to attachment devices for shoes, to enable the shoes to produce an audible clicking or tapping sound when desired by the wearer. The device is particularly adaptable to a clogging shoe, which is used in a style of country dancing commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cclogging.xe2x80x9d In this dance, the wearer performs a dance step while tapping out a rhythm with the clogging shoes, by raising and lowering the feet to contact the floor. Typically, each clogging shoe is fitted with two devices, one sized to fit over the toe of the shoe and a second device sized to fit over the heel of the shoe, where each device performs a similar function when contacting the floor.
An example of a clogging shoe fitted with devices of the general type described herein can be found with reference to U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,436. The present invention is an improvement over the device described in the patent, as will be found with reference to the drawings, specification and claims contained herein.
The clogging device of the present invention is constructed of a top plate and a bottom plate, and a pair of fasteners which loosely hold the plates together so as to permit relative pivotal movement to occur between the plates. The top plate is affixed to a shoe and the bottom plate is pivotally affixed to the top plate along a line which is offset from the center of gravity of the bottom plate, so that one end of the bottom plate, which is referred to herein as the xe2x80x9ctapping end,xe2x80x9d normally hangs away from contact with the top plate, until the shoe is brought into contact with the floor.
It is an object of the invention to provide a clogging shoe which produces a uniform sound when brought into contact with the floor, always requiring a uniform force, to provide the sound.
It is another object of the invention to provide a clogging device which can be affixed to the bottom of a shoe and contacted against a floor without causing scratches or damage to the floor.
It is another object of the invention to provide a clogging device for attachment to a shoe which does not have any protruding edges which could injure or trip the wearer.